The present invention relates to a hydraulic tree trimmer and more particularly to a high reach hydraulic tree trimmer which has dual self centering blades operated by a hydraulic cylinder.
There are several different types, designs, makes and manufacturers of hydraulic tree trimmers, clippers or shears. Generally each of the different types or design of trimmers, or shears have a specific purpose. Each of the different styles, designs or type have certain advantages or disadvantages depending on the particular application. One type may work there another Will not work.
There are several types of hand held trimmers and shears. These can range from small one hand operated shears to larger two hand operated trimmers. There are also hand operated power shears of several different designs. The hand held power operated trimmers and shears may be powered electrically, by gas engine, hydraulically (by hand operated pumps or external pumps controlled by the operator), or even pneumatically. Each type or design have certain advantages and disadvantages for specific purposes.
The blade designs of the shears and trimmers also have a number of different designs. There are blades which are long and narrow and some in a hook shaped design which operate in a scissors type action. This may include designs which have different type of actions. There are some designs having a single fixed blade and one pivotal blade, and there are designs in which the blades pivot independent of each other. There are curved blades, straight blades, rounded blades, serrated blades, single edge blades and double edge blades.
In addition to hand held trimmers and shears, there are larger varieties which attach to heavy equipment, such as bulldozers, tractors, high boys, or other self propelled vehicles. There are also all sizes in between. There are even designs which are suspended from a helicopter or crane which can operate under water.
The invention described herein relates to the heavy duty trimmers which can be mounted on a tractor, backhoe, high boy or the like. Although there are several designs known in the art, most are not designed to be readily attached and removed. Most are also designed for specific attachment to specific equipment and have limited application. It is also common that in these larger varieties the object being cut must be specifically located in respect to the blades or blade. If not located within the predefined area between the cutting surfaces, either the equipment will shift during the cutting action, the blades will not perform as designed or an equipment failure could occur.
As indicated above, there are designs having a fixed blade and a single pivoting blade and there are designs having dual pivotal blades. Some operate in a scissor type action and others operate in a specific action in accordance with the design. Each of these designs have specific means of operations, but most of the heavy duty types are hydraulically operated with a single or with multiple hydraulic cylinders.
There are heavy duty type of trimmers designed to cut trees at the trunk and are attached to the vehicle at a low level. Then there are other types that are attached to an arm, or the like, for cutting the tree at the trunk and trimming branches higher in the tree.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an Hydraulic Tree Trimmer that is adapted to provide for a tree trimmer which is easily attached to and removed from a Wide Variety of different vehicles. With the Hydraulic Tree Trimmer of this invention it has been found that it will mount easily to most tractors, if not all, and other vehicles that have some sort of lifting means and a hydraulic system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic tree trimmer that is constructed to provide a high reaching tree trimmer which can be used to cut, trim or prune branches and limbs from trees without the need of ladders, chainsaws, and climbing of the tree. The hydraulic tree trimmer of this invention is preferably mounted on a lifting means on a vehicle to provide for cutting at a range of cutting heights from the ground level to an elevated height, limited by the lifting means and means of attachment.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an hydraulic tree trimmer that is adapted to be self centering about the object to be cut. This feature eliminates the need for near perfect alignment of the blades with the object which is necessary to prevent damage or unneeded stresses on the equipment, thereby substantially reducing the time spent cutting trees or branches and reducing equipment failure and breakage.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic tree trimmer that can be used to cut trees at ground level, branches and limbs high in a tree or to cut brush, without the need to change any equipment.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulic tree trimmer that is simple to construct, easy to operate and affordable to the persons needing such a tree trimmer.